It is my pleasure to write this letter after the very succesful 30th Politzer Meeting and 1st World Otology Conference, held in Niigata ( Japan). Under the direction of Prof Sugata Takahashi, more than 700 participants from more than 50 countries , shared the most recent advances in our field. The three plenary conferences given by Prof Haruo Takahashi, Prof Yanagihara and Prof P A Wackim, where the most excelent example of the high quality of this event.

It was also a good opportunity to meet our colleagues from all over the World, and enjoy the kindness and hospitality of the beautiful city of Nigata.

This conference is an example of the global vision of otology and Neurootology and represents all those interested in our specialty regardless of their origins. The scientific program showed the high levels of excellence, and savoir-faire of our Society.

Likewise I would like to mention that as chairman of the Board, and in representation of all members, we will undertake new, improvements in the Society. On the one hand the website will be undergoing major updates, specially in training and teaching areas. To this end, Prof Manohar Bance, has been assigned Research Officer.

On the other hand there has been special emphasis on establishing stronger cooperation with institutions connected to our specialty, especially with IFOS. I should like to thank General Secretary, Prof Milan Profant, his involvement and dedication to our Society.

Finally it is our mission to organize the best conference possible, with the best scientific and participatory program, as well as with academic and practical content, in Las Palmas (Spain) from November 29 to December 2, 2017, where apart from a stimulating scientific environment, we will benefit from the best climate in the world and a most unique natural landscape.

Prof Angel Ramos-Macias
Politzer Society President

O. Nuri Ozgirgin - 2015

Dear Colleagues:

A few months ago I had the honour to start my period as President of the Politzer Society. This is a special honour, given the important role that this society has played historically in Otology worldwide, and in Otolaryngology in particular.

First of all, I would like to thank a number of people without whom I would not be writing this letter: professor Nuri Ozgirgin, my predecessor, for his constant support and especially for updating and revitalizing this society the way he did; Professor Jacques Magnan, mentor of so many and friend of all of us, of whom I learned the need for work well done and the importance of the Politzer Society in the world; and last but not least, my fellow colleagues from the Board, especially Alec Firzgerald O’Connor and P. Ashley Wackym, because without their support my appointment would not have been possible.

Our society is facing an era of change and new challenges, many of them difficult because of this global crisis. Thus, we need to keep pushing boundaries further. Otology, Otoneurology and Skull Base Surgery have grown and are now involved in fields that used to be outside their scopes due to new imaging techniques, invasive and non invasive diagnosis and therapeutic tools. Furthermore new developments related to basic sciences in Otology, make the speed of these developments be the subject of social care and other areas of medicine.

The Politzer Society must not lose its leadership in these areas, and I can assure you that the Board of Directors and I will do our best to keep our high standards. It isdifficult to assume a leading role in the latest technologies, leaders in research and promotion of it, without also assuming the scholarship and engaging new generations. A difficult but necessary task to maximize the development of Otology.

To this end, we have set a series of challenges as objectives for the next years:

Improvement and optimizationof our congresses:The congresses of Niigata in 2015, and the Canary Islands in 2017, seek to expand the horizons of our society. On the one hand, Nigata 2015 is held in conjunction with the Ist World congress in Otology, which under the auspices and direction of IFOS aims to be the first meeting between our society and all national societies represented in IFOS. On the other hand, in 2017 the 2nd Otology research forum, following the success of the first edition, will try to bring the latest research and developments of both basic and applied sciences especifically to our field.

Increase and improve our relationships with national societies:
Through their representatives in the field of Otology, Otoneurology and Skull Base Surgery, it's time to rejuvenate our society with all those new values ​​which represent knowledge refreshment.

Collaborate with like-minded organizations such as IFOS: Thanks to the efforts of Prof. Milan Profant, General Secretary of IFOS, new strctures to facilitate influence exchange will allow colaboration of committees created ad hoc as, enhancing the representation of our society in both social and medical international actions.

Enhanceacademism:The scientific level of our society has always been the highest in the area. It is our job, without disparagement of the quality level that characterize us, to reach all new specialists.

Special actions in developing countries:
Thanks to new communication tecnogies,the aim is to promote the advanced centers can reach any part of the world to share their innovations, techniques and diagnoses in order to collaborate in other training initiatives that already exist in other institutions.

It is an ambitious program, but necessary for a XXI Century Politzer Society. I will put all my effort and that of the board members to follow the footsteps of those who have dedicated their lives and time to improve the quality of life of our pacienes, advance science and expand their knowledge.

Prof Angel Ramos-Macias
Politzer Society President

O. Nuri Ozgirgin - 2015

A new clinical and scientific forum will be integrated in to the official website and become, I hope, a very effective platform for discussing scientific matters and finding solutions to evaluate and manage cases. This online service will be open to members and colleagues throughout the world and will be available for further developments dependent on user needs.

The Politzer Society will continue be actively present in the “real world' with its biannual meeting. In this regard the last Meeting that was held in London was agreat success. Its scientific level was uniquely high and the Social Program was unforgettable. I wis to cordially thank to Alec O'Connor for his efforts and success on the Meeting. Now we ar elooking forward for the Politzer Society Meeting in Athens. The first announcement takes place in this web page and the details will follow soon.

Now it is time to enter into the 'virtual world'. This will allow the knowledge and expertise to shared worldwide with a click of a mouse! In this regard Politzer Society is looking forward for a close cooperation between the LION Foundation.. As the communication systems gets more practical and widespread the e-learning systems will increase it dominance in our life. We are looking forward for the three main scientific events; two videoconferences that will be broadcasted mainly from Istanbul and Tubingen and will be supported by other cities in Europe during 2010 and the traditional biannual Politzer Society Meeting that will take place in Athens in 2011.

Our member database is now updated and we are encouraging all members to pay their dues in order to get the free subscription of Otology and Neurotology. All the information is already present in the website and als being announced by the Newsletters.
The Newslletters are the new tools that will serve for reaching to the otlogy world. The newsletters are planned to be published virtually bimonthly. You will find the news from the Society as well as other information for the otology world.

With this opportunity we wish you a very happy and healthy New Year, with Season's Greetings.